Support for Bradley Manning from South Central Quakers

One of the main authors of the minute is Phil Newberry of Stillwater, Oklahoma Meeting. (OK is Manning’s home state.) Phil is already going on the road, to share the Minute and his concern with Friends and others in Kansas, Missouri & Iowa, in hopes of building ongoing support work around Leavenworth prison while Manning is there. I invite those interested in this developing work to contact him at: newcat@nullsbcglobal.net

The Minute:

We, the SCYM of the RSOF (Quakers), feel it is our moral and religious duty to speak out on behalf of PFC Bradley Manning. For more than 3 centuries, Quakers have borne witness to the mistreatment of prisoners, and we strongly believe that Private Manning is the victim of mistreatment.

Since July, 2010 he has been incarcerated in military prison under harsh conditions without being formally charged or tried. Pvt. Manning is accused of leaking classified information including the video “Collateral Murder.” While people may have different views on the ethics of whistle-blowing and the apparent misdeeds of the US military, we contend that the treatment of Pvt Manning is, in any case, unjust and reprehensible. We appeal to the conscience of members of the American military and the executive branch to recognize Pvt. Manning’s basic human rights.